Pandemic

A pandemic is an epidemic of
infectious disease that has spread through human
populations across a large region. Think ebola, cholera,
smallpox and influenza to name a few. A big
concern of scientists is the developing antibiotic
resistance of some "superbugs".

Where will the next pandemic come
from? It can be carried by an airline passenger. It
could be brought into the United States by an illegal
alien via our southern border. It could be delivered
by a BioTerror attack.

Many
will tell you that it’s not a matter of
if, but when. I believe that the world
is becoming increasingly more likely to
see a major event. It’s a process that
is highly predictable.

A
pandemic outbreak in today’s world would
likely travel much quicker, and could
cause far more deaths than previous
pandemics. Think that almost 100 years
ago, when we had the 1918 pandemic, it
could take months to circumnavigate the
globe. Today, it can be accomplished in
a day. With more individuals traveling
than ever before, the opportunity for a
pandemic strain to spread is greater
than it has ever been.

Be Aware of Current
Events:

The best precaution a Prepper can
take against a pandemic is being aware of current
events. Moving away from highly populated urban centers
will help. But there are also biohazard steps that you
can take.

The first thing you need to do, is make
sure you have your essential needs
covered. In the case of a pandemic, the
essentials include water, shelter, food,
sanitation, medications, and personal
security. During a Pandemic, the less
contact you have with others, the better
your chances are of staying healthy.

Previous pandemics have gone through
communities in a matter of six to eight
weeks; at a minimum, you should have at
least a six to eight weeks’ worth of
emergency supplies on hand at all times.
Once you have that covered, you can then
set a goal to stockpile enough for 3, 6
and then 12 months.

Keep Your Distance:

The best way
to improve your chances of staying
healthy during an outbreak is to
practice social distancing. This means
limiting your contact with others, and
staying at least 6 feet away from people
if you do have to go out.

Practice Good
Personal Hygiene & Sanitation:

Just like with any person
to person diseases, the key to
prevention lies in good hygiene. Hand
washing is obvious, and when used for 30
seconds even a simple alcohol based hand
sanitizer, that has between 62 and 75%
ethanol, can be enough to kill pretty
much any pandemic pathogen.

Hospitals, Shelters &
Large Gatherings Should Be
Avoided:

If you’re sick, then by all
means you probably need to consult with
a medical professional for medical
advice. That being said, hospitals will
be ground zero in the war and should be
avoided if at all possible. Also, if you
can, avoid shelters or areas where large
groups of people gather, especially in
close quarters, as disease
spreads more quickly in those
environments.

When venturing Out, Where a Mask:

Actually masks are really a last
resort and cannot be relied on to 100%
stop infection. Do not allow them to
give you a false sense of security. Respirators are designed
to help reduce, not eliminate, exposures
to infection. With that being said,
having some
N95 Medical Masks
is something that should be in every good
survival medicine kit.